45 suspects taken into custody for Wagah suicide blast

Lahore: A total of 45 suspects have been taken into custody by Pakistan police in connection with the deadly suicide blast at Wagah border which killed 63 people. “We have taken 45 suspects into custody

Lahore: A total of 45 suspects have been taken into custody by Pakistan police in connection with the deadly suicide blast at Wagah border which killed 63 people.

“We have taken 45 suspects into custody in connection with the blast so far from different parts of the city mostly from Wagah border areas. Some of them have been released after nothing proved against them in interrogation,” Deputy Inspector General of Police Haider Ashraf said.

Lahore police chief Capt (Retired) Amin Wains said, “Police have sent the suicide vest found abandoned at the parking area of Wagah to the forensic laboratory for fingerprints test. We will get this report in a few days and hopefully that will help identify the terrorist.”

A large number of people were returning after attending a flag-lowering ceremony at the Wagah border last Sunday, which is heavily guarded by the Punjab Rangers, when a young suicide-bomber blew himself up near the main exit gate of Parade Avenue.

Wains said the joint investigation team has been working on it but so far “no clue to the terror network involved in the incident has been found.”Punjab Interior Minister Col (Retired) Shujah Khanzada said the target of the suicide bomber was the venue of the flag-lowering ceremony at the main India-Pakistan land border crossing.

“The suicide-bomber wanted to reach the Parade avenue to cause maximum devastation but he blew himself up near the entrance of the main gate after failing to reach the Parade Avenue,” he said.

According to a preliminary investigation report submitted to the Inspector General of Police Punjab, Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera, the suicide-bomber, believed to be in his early 20s, had been staying at the Wagah border area for the last many days.

“It is also suspected that the handlers of the suicide-bomber were also present near the blast site to ensure the execution of their plan,” the report says. At least 15 to 20 kilogram explosives have been used in the blast, some of which were in the suicide jacket of the bomber and the rest he carried.

Meanwhile, the death toll of the blast has risen to 63. “The death toll of the Sunday's devastating suicide blast at Wagah border has risen to 63 with the death of two more injured persons,” Ashraf said.

He said 55 injured persons of the blast are still being treated in different hospitals of the city.